


Accidents Never Happen

by ominousrum



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Canon Divergence, Canon Universe, F/M, Killian and Emma have a very different adventure, Pining, S3 Divergence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-03
Updated: 2016-12-20
Packaged: 2018-09-26 00:12:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9853172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ominousrum/pseuds/ominousrum
Summary: The very Earth was swirling beneath them as Emma loses sight of Hook, a terror ripping through her chest. It’s only flashes of yellow and emerald before her vision dissolves into deep, dark blue.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lifeinahole](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lifeinahole/gifts).



> a birthday gift for Sarah! all thanks to jenniferjuni-per for beta-ing <3
> 
> this is set in 3B only Henry doesn’t try to escape Storybrooke with Hook’s help and Zelena has a different plan up her sleeve for getting rid of Emma Swan. 
> 
> title taken from the Blondie song.

Emma was positive Hook was hiding something from her. Superpower or not, he rarely met her eyes for longer than a heartbeat. Why she was bothering to measure things in such a fashion was not anything she wished to dwell on. What really annoyed and baffled her however, was how much she felt the disappointment of him hiding from her. Pirate or case, Neverland or Storybrooke, Emma wasn’t used to Hook retreating in her presence. The man practically had an “Emma in sight” swagger, for fuck’s sake. Now she could barely get him to hover in her general vicinity longer than a minute or to muster half a smile for her disappearing hook magic trick.

If everyone wasn’t so on edge about Zelena’s potential to wreak havoc, Emma could surely pester it out of him. As it was, she settled for the two of them gathering intel on their green foe. Even if Hook’s air was decidedly distant, it was better than nothing. Emma huffed an angry sigh at her own musings, slamming the door to her Bug, brooding pirate at her heels.

David and Mary Margaret were helping Regina track down the storybook, currently missing in Storybrooke 2.0, to look for evidence of the wicked witch. Ruby and Granny had been tasked with keeping an eye on Henry.

“I guess you probably had your fill chasing danger on the high seas during the missing year?” The snow crunched under their heels, wind tingeing their cheeks a bright pink.

“I find it keeps things interesting,” Hook said, an all too ready smile on his lips.

“So it was one swashbuckling tale after another, then?”

“Aye, that it was,” Hook quickened his pace towards the farmhouse, legs stiff and clumsy.

“Bullshit,” Emma scoffed, stopping her stride to glare at him, “there’s something you’re not telling me.”

“If you say so, love.”

“Right, I keep forgetting the secrecy part of your dumb pirate code.”

“We can’t all be open books, Swan.”

The sprawling house was silent, though some indescribable thrum in the air tells Emma it’s not long empty.

“Doesn’t look like anybody’s here.” Killian said, head ducked low to mirror Emma’s as they crept across the front porch.

“Shhh!”

“Why do we need to whisper?”

“Will you just trust me on this? I used to stake out places for a living, I know what I’m doing.”

A raised eyebrow was his only response as they trudged towards a cellar just beyond the porch. There was no visible lock, the door closed over instead of shut. Dread pooled in Emma’s stomach so fast it took her a minute to realize it was due to the air positively buzzing with dark magic. Powerful, insidious magic from what she could decipher.

“I don’t think going down there is the best idea, love.” Hook said, wrapping his hand around her elbow to stop her.

“The fearsome Captain Hook is afraid to check out a cellar?” All semblance of warmth was missing from her taunt and he was wary; her eyes the unsettling, eerie shade of green the sky turns before a storm.

“There’s a difference between fear and common sense, love. Don’t you sense something off?”

“If you’re about to launch into another speech about trusting my gut, you can save it.” Emma thought she might as well push until Hook pushes back if he’s going to run away from her either way.

The walk back to the car was quiet, though Emma heard Hook open his mouth to speak three separate times before moving to scratch behind his ear in the absence of words.

“Aren’t you two adorable?” Zelena cooed as the two whip around to see her positively bouncing with glee next to a tight-lipped Rumplestiltskin. “You know, I think it’s time you focused on you, Emma. Maybe some quality time with a dashing pirate and his luscious lips will do you a world of good!”

“Maybe a house falling from the sky and flattening you would do you some good,” Emma snarled.

“I’m afraid I’ve got some rather important work to do first. No rest for the wicked or so the saying goes.” Zelena was all insane looks and yet somehow serene smiles.

“Now I think it’s time the two of you took a little trip, rather than running away from each other. Rumple?”

A wave of Gold’s hand and they were suddenly inside her Bug, locks clicking decidedly shut after them. The engine was silent but they were moving, they’re fucking levitating into the sky and panic was the only thing present in Emma’s mind.

The very Earth was swirling beneath them as Emma loses sight of Hook, a terror ripping through her chest. It’s only flashes of yellow and emerald before her vision dissolves into deep, dark blue.

***

 

The hardness of the ground beneath her winds its way to the forefront of Emma’s mind, followed closely by the water seeping from her hair against her neck. Her lungs feel bruised and battered as she splutters out a mouthful of water.

“Emma? God, Emma, I’m so sorry.” Killian gasped, fingers recoiling from their place in her hair as he straightens.

“What happened?”

“The witch used the crocodile to drown us, in your vessel. He used his magic to hold you under and I couldn’t free you…” Killian’s voice trailed off, a pained wince darkening his brow.

“How did you free me? And why are you apologizing for saving my life?” Emma propped herself up by her elbows to glare at him. Surely nearly dying was enough impetus to prompt him to tell her the truth about his evasive behaviour.

“I don’t think- I don’t think she’s able to kill you, even by proxy. She just wanted me to-“

“Killian, what’s going on?” Emma yelled, frustration reaching its boiling point. She managed to get to her feet though her knees have a brief wobble; he followed suit, his hand poised to steady her if needed.

“She cursed me. My lips, actually.”

“Your lips?” Emma brought a hand to her own, trying to recollect the ghost of his.

“She wanted to take away your magic and thought I was the best way of doing that.”

“My magic-“ Emma blinked as she adjusted to the realization she could no longer feel the background thrum of her powers just inside her bones. It was a strange thing to miss something she wasn’t aware even existed for most of her life, but the sting of loss settled into her temples and clawed at the back of her throat.

“You weren’t breathing and I-,” Killian stared at her, despair dancing across his features, “I’m sorry, Swan.”

_I don’t do this often so treasure it, love…_

The words he used in New York flood into her mind as a frown shifted onto her face. Anger spiked hot against the chill of her skin as she eyed him; he looked so pained she wanted to slap him.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“She threatened you- your entire family if I breathed a word of it. I was trying to protect you.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Emma hissed, teeth starting to betray her with a chatter, “I can’t trust you now. How can I?”

“Swan-“

“Nope, still not interested in listening to excuses.”

“Aye, I gathered that but we’ve just been thoroughly doused in very cold water and I’d wager we need to get somewhere warm and into something dry.”

“Where the hell are we anyway?” Panic began to trickle cold and fast into Emma’s veins. The shore didn’t look remotely familiar now that she had a chance to take a good look at it.  The small clearing was nondescript but the surrounding woods were not nearly as dense as Storybrooke’s.

“I’ve no idea. The witch seemed to transport us to the middle of the water. I didn’t recognize anything on the way back to land.”

“How far were we?”

“Around 300 feet from the shore, I reckon.”

Emma hummed an absent-minded confirmation, boots slapping against ground in a stuttered gait towards the soft whoosh of cars moving along a paved road.

The walk down the road was largely silent, though Emma caught an involuntary shudder or two that caught her off guard; Hook was likely as freezing cold as she was, even under all that leather. She quickly dispelled the notion to rub her hand up his arm in response.

It wasn’t until they saw the parking lot of a store up ahead that the realization of where they were sank into Emma’s stomach like a leaden punch.

“You’ve got to be kidding me…”

“What is it, Swan? Do you recognize this place?”

“I recognize the fact that there are no Walmarts in Storybrooke and that we’re officially screwed.”

“Now Swan, there’s no need to get antsy. We have our wits, we just need to focus on being constructive.”

Emma’s brow furrowed as she tried to think of any possible way to locating their invisible town.

“So, any ideas how to get back?”

“How would I know how to find an invisible town? I’m not a Magic Eye book.”

“Magic…eye? I’ve known some men with glass eyes, love, but I doubt any could be classed as magical.” Hook snorted.

“So, eye patches weren’t the norm?” Emma quipped, pulling a very water-logged phone from her back pocket to frown at it up close.

“Is it some sort of spell book?”

“No, Magic Eye books aren’t actually magic-,” Emma’s tongue stopped before her head could shake away more incredulity at Hook’s reaction, “Maybe we don’t need magic!”

“I’m not sure I follow, love.”

“I’m pretty sure I can remember Regina’s phone number. We just need to get to a working phone and have her help us find Storybrooke.”

“Right. Well now we have a plan, what say we get out of these particular clothes and into something comfortable?” The eyebrow that arched up at his suggestion accompanied by a sinful grin.

“Come on Captain Subtlety, we have a stop to make.”

***

 

Hook’s eyes widened at the row upon row of merchandise, Emma hurriedly grabbing them each a pair of jeans and t-shirt. She’d eyeballed his size, flat out refusing to ask lest she be subjected to the challenge of him suggesting she look for it herself. For all she knew sizes didn’t exist in terms of numerical figures in the Enchanted Forest anyway. She lingered a moment to decide on boxers or briefs before snagging a pair of boxers with skull and crossbones to add to the pile of clothes in her arms.

More than a few patrons stared at them, some of the women slack-jawed at the handsome pirate waltzing down the aisles after a very determined blonde woman, occasionally stopping to marvel at something that caught his eye on a shelf.

Emma rolled her eyes as she heard the soft clinking of coins coming from Hook’s pocket, waving a hand at him to stop.

“I got this. Walmart doesn’t take dubloons.”

“That seems foolish for such a large empire. I thought you said there was one of these in every port, Swan.”

“Somehow they’ve managed to avoid pirate clientele.”

Hook scoffed at her as she paid for their items and for a second there was a hint of the easy camaraderie they shared in Neverland. A comfortable looseness in their interactions that Emma never felt with anyone else. It’s gone as soon as Hook steps back a few feet, bidding Emma take the lead onward as an unpleasant sting settled in her bones.

***

 

The dilapidated motel within walking distance leaves much to be desired – cracking paint and a moldy scent so powerful Emma doesn’t want to think of actually sleeping there but access to a phone and a hot shower is reason enough to fork over $80.

“I’ve got one room left. Double bed.”

Emma swore under her breath as she fumbled for her wallet. Hook, _her_ Hook, was uncharacteristically silent at the prospect of the two potentially sharing a bed, and it struck Emma as the oddest feeling to miss someone right in front of her.  

“Give me a minute to get the room ready,” the attendant gave them a perfunctory smile as she muttered to herself down the corridor.

“In all the chaos, I didn’t say thank you.” Emma said slowly, her eyes fixed on any slight change in Hook’s demeanor. 

Killian stared, cocking his head to the side. Emma huffed a sigh at the sight; the fact that the centuries old pirate bore striking resemblance to a puppy was not lost on her.

“For saving my life.”

“After all we’ve been through, do you still worry you’re wrong about me Swan?”

“No. It’s not you I’m worried about.” A flush crept into her cheeks and she turned on her heel.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you to sambethe for her super beta skills

Regina may have a cell phone but Emma was willing to bet she only answered it if she thought Henry was calling. Who needed to worry about a phone when you could poof anywhere with magic? 10 calls to a full voicemail box later, Emma was at her wit’s end.

“Still no answer. A damn pager would be more effective right now. Remind me to make them mandatory when we get home.”

“A what, love?”

“Nevermind.” Emma dismissed his quizzical eyebrow with a wave of her hand. “I think we’d better just try again in the morning. No sense in freezing our asses off outside if no one is going to be around to help us out.”

“I’ll defer to your wisdom.”

Killian offered her the first shower but Emma was too worked up to really hear what he had said. It wasn’t until the sound of running water hit her that Emma straightened in her chair,  uncoiling her legs from underneath herself and leaning towards the bathroom, ears eager to take in what her eyes couldn’t see.  

She swore she heard the faint hum of a sea shanty from the pirate’s lips and the shiver that prickled across her skin was not connected to the cold. It was unsettling to be unwound this way – to let her fondness for him crackle under her skin, a steady current of electricity twitching out from her bones.

Emma shifted uncomfortably, determined not to picture Hook showering. Absolutely no good could ever come of that. She filed the picture she had started to conjure away to a precise corner of her mind. No _good_. 

***

 

The room was cold. A damp, intrusive kind of cold that rushed in with the closing of doors and lingered unwanted in every corner of the room.

“Hook?” The moniker whispered before her brain could stop it. Another beat before her volume increased. “Killian?”

“Aye, love?”

“We should share the bed before we both freeze to death.”

“I thought you didn’t trust me.”

She can’t see his face in the dark but she can practically hear his grin.

“Weren’t you the one who said you’re always a gentleman?”

“That I am. I promise I won’t do anything untoward.”

“I know,” Emma affirmed. She believed him. Despite the fire (oh _god_ was there ever fire) they shared in Neverland, she knew there were lines he wouldn’t cross, whether or not she kept him at arm’s length.

Emma curled herself onto one side as the bed dipped under his weight, and carefully held out the edge of the blanket behind her, bidding him to join her under the covers. The pregnant pause before he took it set off a soft flutter in her heart. She let the sound of his breathing anchor her in place, sitting at the base of her spine as she willed her thoughts away.

The warmth took hold slowly, but eventually it wound its way up from her icy toes to settle in her stomach, lapping there like a lazy tide. They were extraordinarily quiet, their breaths too shallow to allow them to slip into any decent form of sleep.

The outline of his Adam’s apple in the dark had her biting back a groan. She could almost taste him on her lips, the salt of his sweat mingling with the sweetness of the rum. The ache of it grounded her, the longing a tether pinning down her limbs. She couldn’t afford to give in to this. No was the only word she’d allow to echo through her brain.

The room was silent enough Emma couldn’t be sure if either of them were breathing. They had breathed in one another’s space with such purpose before, in Neverland. Pointed but chaotic.

Fire was supposed to burn hot and then leap to the next thing. It wasn’t supposed to consume her like this – a constant flame. Without her magic, the mess of emotions she felt for Hook (whatever that actually _was_ ) felt like the only thing coursing through her body.

Emma felt him shift almost imperceptibly towards her, lips parted in an unspoken question.

“Goodnight, Swan,” Emma could hear him exhale slow and measured, “Emma.”

“Goodnight.” Emma offered simply, not trusting herself to use either of his names, her throat dusty with want. 

***

 

“Bloody hell, Swan!”

Emma wrenched her eyes open, startled at Hook’s cursing. Warmth fled from her body before she realized its main source had been  Hook’s arm wrapped around her midsection and his chest flush with her back moments ago.

“A warning shot is customary in polite company!”

Sunlight filtered through the flimsy curtains, the bedside clock flashing a red 6:32.

Hook stumbled up confused, hand finding his brace and fastening it to his arm as fast as he could manage. He scrambled to collect his clothes from the dresser and she caught a flash of his boxers as he fled towards the bathroom.

“Whatever happened to being a gentleman?” Emma demanded to the closed door. Any traces of sleep had vanished with the cool of the room sinking into her veins. She sprung off the bed, sheet wrapped like a toga around her, with a sour expression on her face. She slipped a t-shirt over her head and wiggled into her jeans, trying to maintain the appropriate level of glare for when Hook came back into the room.

Hook emerged fully clothed, face the picture of innocence except for a tiny twitch of his eyebrow.

“I’m still a gentleman. You were the one who insisted you were in need of my arm.”

“I- what?!”

“I assume you weren’t fully awake yet, love. I didn’t want to wake you just to deny you what small comfort I could provide.” A lopsided grin crept across his face and the sight of it warmed something Emma didn’t know had chilled during the night.

She winced. “I have no recollection of any of that.”

“In my defense, you do have quite the strong grip. Even at rest.”

“So what were you cursing about when you woke my apparently needy ass up so early?”

“Ah. Well I suppose you were having a rather interesting dream.”

“Hook-” Emma threatened, steely gaze at the ready.

“You were speaking about how you wanted a ham and swiss cheese sandwich. I believe the exact request included extra pickles and mustard.”

Emma stared dumbly, searching her memory for any hint of recollection at Hook’s explanation. Her tongue seemingly unwilling to confirm anything.

“Not long after that, you decided my hand would do in the interim.”

“Oh god,” Emma sighed, bringing her palm to her forehead. When she raised her eyes she noticed the faint red of a delicate ring of teeth marks adorning Hook’s hand. She wished the putrid tan carpet would swallow her whole.

“Is ham better or worse than the horrors of bologna?”

“Better. Well, I mean it’s processed meat, so the bar isn’t that high.” Emma’s stomach rumbled in spite of her. “Why am I explaining this to you? You’re probably used to chimera or whatever it is you eat in the Enchanted Forest.”

“Can’t say I’ve ever had the pleasure.”

“Let’s just get back to Storybrooke,” Emma gestured toward their shoes, motioning for them to hurry up and get them on.

“Ready when you are, Swan.” Hook slipped on his boots with surprising dexterity. Emma tried not to stare at the perfection that was his ass the jeans she’d picked out for him.  

“I need an entire pot of coffee first, though. Possibly several bear claws.”

“I’m not sure I can take on a bear without a proper sword, love, but I’ll give it a go.”

“I’m going to need to be much more caffeinated for this conversation. C’mon.”

As she clicked the door closed behind them, she blamed the smile on her face on the thought of impending breakfast.


End file.
